


Who Ya Gonna Call? No One, Because You're a Shadowhunter!

by freeleigh47



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Halloween, M/M, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Spooky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-08-05 16:41:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16371284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freeleigh47/pseuds/freeleigh47
Summary: Magnus goes all-out for Halloween, and when Alec admits to not enjoying his favorite holiday, Magnus has a little fun at his Shadowhunter's expense ;)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I did not see the word limit until it was too late haha. So I had to divide it into 2 chapters for the contest. I wrote this in a hurry, so excuse any grammatical errors or lines that just don't make any sense lol but I am down to the wire here! Don't you hate when you have to do things like work and school instead of just writing fanfiction all day?

Alec is bone-weary exhausted. 

His feet are practically dragging as he takes the last few steps to Magnus’ loft, forcing his body into continued forward motion by running on the fumes of his third cup of coffee several hours beforehand. 

It is the second week of October, and the Halloween season for mundanes is in full swing. Pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns on front porches, smashed witches adorning tree trunks, fake cobwebs swathing bushes. Alec would love nothing more than to skip the whole spectacle. He loves the Fall, with its crisp leaves smell and the first touch of cold air that makes it comfortable to wear snuggling sweaters. But Halloween causes his workload to practically doubles this time of year. Between cults of clueless mundanes accidentally summoning demons, or rogue vampires luring unsuspecting mundanes into their nests under the guise of Halloween costume parties, or Faeries having some torturous fun that includes tricking mundanes into eating their food which will trap them in Faerie. The list is endless. On top of law-breaking Downworlders that add to the chaos, there are the ghost hunter crowd of mundanes with their bogus machines that frequent “haunted” places. Everyone in the Shadow World knows that actual ghosts can never be detected by those insipid—

“Darling, you’re home!” Magnus interrupts his thoughts as he makes it through the door. “Did you run into any ghosts at work today?” 

Alec is momentarily speechless. 

Gone is the immaculately kept loft in which Alec is so accustomed to, and in its place screams the mess of Halloween decorations Alec was just so looking forward to getting away from. 

“Magnus, you didn’t.” Alec tries to prevent his voice from sounding like a petulant whine, and only half succeeds. 

Alec looks around the entryway in muted horror, taking in all the decorations- albeit more elegant and tasteful than the mess of cheap looking plastic mundanes tend to favor. 

Every curtain rod is draped with orange and purple lights with enormous bulbs that are actually hurting his eyes. There is definitely some kind of smoke machine or enchantment that is spreading an eerie fog across the floor. 

“Is that the Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow?” Alec points to what looks like a too- realistic- for -comfort mannequin in the corner dressed in a colonial jacket holding a pumpkin in one hand and a sword in the other.

Before Magnus can even answer, Alec full-out groans. 

“Magnus…you’re wearing a…whyyyyy?” 

Magnus is wearing a towering witches’ hat and bellowing purple robes that flash gold as he moves. The kohl around his eyes is even more pronounced than usual and his lips are painted a bright green. 

“Why are you dressed like a witch?” 

“If you must know, I’m dressed like a wizard, like from Harry Potter. And as to why?” Magnus approaches Alec in what can only be described as a prowl. He places a hand on his should and purrs, “Because I bloody well felt like it.” And kisses Alec on the forehead. 

Alec sags against his touch. 

“All I wanted was a nice quiet night at home,” Alec murmurs, and Magnus runs his hands reassuringly up and down his arms. 

“I know, my big strong demon hunter.” Magnus pulls Alec against him in a hug, and Alec droops his cheek onto Magnus’ shoulder. 

“Why don’t you go take a nice soothing bath? then we can relax and not talk about Halloween if you prefer.”

Alec turns his head and moans so the sound is muffled by his mouth against Magnus’ neck, and Magnus laughs. 

“Go on.” Alec picks up his head and reluctantly starts to move towards the bathroom. “And give me that,” Magnus gently pulls Alec’s bow and arrow out of his grip. Alec was so tired he did not even realize he was still holding it. 

Alec is concentrating on trying to ignore all the decorations that he does not see the sight in the bathroom until he shuts the door. 

“MAGNUS! YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!” Alec yells. 

The bathtub is filled with bright green bubbling water. 

Magnus’ booming laugh erupts from the other side of the door and echoes around the entire loft. 

 

Alec is still scrubbing at his skin with a towel as Magnus chuckles next to him on the couch. 

Although Magnus finally relented and changed the water back to normal- after Alec took a 30-second-long soak in the green water- he was still convinced that the green water was fizzling strangely beneath his skin. Donning his usual faded black and plaid pajama bottoms and black t-shirt, his most comfortable ensemble, he still could not fully relax.

“I mean, it’s a little funny.” Magnus cannot contain his snort.

Alec’s head snaps up and he shoots him a withering look. Magnus tries and fails to clamp down on another snort. 

“I told you Alexander, there was nothing wrong with the water. I just enchanted it to look green. You don’t have green skin, do you?” Magnus leans forward and kisses the forearm that Alec had been furiously scrubbing at. The feel of Magnus’ lips on his skin immediately relaxes him, and he allows Magnus to pull the towel out of his grip. 

Magnus watches him, a considering look on his face, and snaps his fingers. Magnus’ hat and robes disappear, leaving only his festive make-up in place. Now he is wearing black silk pajamas peppered in smiling ghosts. Alec cannot help but smile at Magnus’ enthusiasm. Magnus snaps his fingers again and two steaming mugs appear in his hands. He offers one to Alec and he takes it, the ceramic warming and soothing his hands.

“Why do you hate Halloween so much?” Magnus asks thoughtfully. 

Alec sighs and takes a sip of his drink- and immediately starts sputtering and coughing. 

“What is this?” Alec asks, his face scrunching up. 

“Oh, sorry darling, that must be mine.” Magnus switches the mugs. “That would be a pumpkin spice cocktail. Here, this one is warm apple cider.” 

Alec takes a sip of the new mug. His eyes flutter closed as the pleasant heat makes its way through his body. He takes another sip and relays all the points of why he does not enjoy Halloween that he had been running through in his head on his walk home. 

“I know that your workload does not really increase like mine does, so you have no real reason to dread it as I do. But it’s a silly holiday for mundanes, I’m confused why you do like it so much.” Alec adds. 

“Because silly is just fun!” Magnus smiles. “Putting up shiny lights and wearing silly costumes, it just makes me happy.” 

Alec contemplates this for a moment. 

“When you’ve lived as long as I have, I have found that it is important to have certain…anchors, if you will. Things to look forward to, silly happy things to enjoy. Life can be awfully dark and lonely is you don’t put aside time to unwind and break up the monotony. Especially lately, what with all the Shadow World descending into chaos…darling I would go mad otherwise.” 

Alec takes Magnus’ hand.

“Well I’m sorry if my sour mood put a damper on your holiday spirit.” Alec takes his hand. “Anything that makes you happy, I guess I could try a little harder to see what you see in…all of this.” Alec gestures around. 

“I’m glad to hear it.” Magnus leans forward and kisses him on the lips. He laughs softly as he wipes the transferred green lipstick off Alec’s lips with his thumb.  
“And who knows, tis the season for ghost hauntings. A friendly spirit may befriend you.” 

“Really, Magnus?” Alec smiles at him, fondness mixed with exasperation. “You know that what most mundanes mistake for being haunted or claim as proof of ghosts is almost always wrong.” 

Magnus scrunches his face into a scowl and Alec lets out a short laugh. 

“Sorry to spoil your fun.” Alec leans forward and kisses him softly on the lips, and he can feel Magnus pouting before he even pulls away. “Are you coming to bed?” 

Magnus hesitates before answering, a look of contemplation on his face.

“I’ll be there in a minute, just have to grab my book.” 

As Alec turns away, he misses the positively wicked smile that spreads across Magnus’ lips. 

“Oh my dear Alexander, how wrong you are,” he says softly, “the fun is just beginning.”


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Alec is brushing his teeth at the bathroom sink when it falls out of his hand. 

Odd. 

He picks it up from the edge of the sink and starts to brush again, and it falls a second time. Alec stares at it. 

His first thought is that Magnus is messing with him. He opens the door softly and peaks his head out. Magnus is most definitely a night owl, and is almost always dead asleep when Alec leaves for early patrols. Just like most mornings, Alec can hear the steady sound of Magnus’ breaths. He is on his side, mouth slightly open, hair in a tousled knot across his forehead, and arm slung haphazardly at an angle that looks uncomfortable. 

Alec smiles fondly at the sight of his love sleeping so peacefully and retreats back into the bathroom. All traces of fondness immediately gone from his face, he leans against the sink, staring daggers at his toothbrush, willing this inanimate object to behave. 

With his Shadowhunter reflexes, his hand darts out and grabs the toothbrush. He roughly shoves it around his mouth as quickly as possible. And just when he is about to drop it in victory, he feels it yanked from his grasp by some unseen force and returned to the toothbrush holder. 

Alec looks up into the mirror, trying to figure out what could be going on, when he jumps back with a shout. In the slight steam that is left from his shower, something is being written with an invisible hand. 

Alec clutches his racing heart and reads the single word out loud: 

HELLO. 

 

Back at the Institute, Alec has not been able to stop thinking about the bathroom incident all morning. He practically ran out the door without waking up Magnus and hightailed his behind to the safety of the Institute. 

He definitely has been working too hard, that has to be it. Not enough sleep, too many cups of coffee. Speaking of which, his fourth cup of coffee, now empty, is currently trembling in his hand as he stares unseeingly at the paperwork in front of him.

But Alec is a Shadowhunter, after all, and eventually forces himself to focus on his work. And after a few hours, he manages to (almost) convince himself that he must have imagined the whole thing. By midafternoon, he is engrossed in his usual routine when he hears the ping of his phone. 

 

Magnus: May be back late, going to a last-minute house call. 

 

Alec’s heart sinks a bit. 

 

Alec:Ok, see you when you get home. 

 

Alec ignores the slight panic that sets his heart racing a bit faster at the thought of being home alone in the empty loft. 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” He chastises himself out loud. 

His phone pings again and Alec smiles down at the winky kissy face emoji Magnus just sent. 

“By the Angel, you are a Shadowhunter! You are not afraid to be home alone!” 

 

Alec holds onto that confidence throughout the last few hours of his work day and his entire walk home. He strides through the front door of the loft, feeling Magnus’ wards embrace his presence. 

“Magnus?” Alec calls. 

But no one answers. 

Magnus isn’t home. 

Alec hates the way his heart starts to beat a little faster and pointedly ignores it. 

“For Raziel’s sake,” Alec mutters under his breath and strides into the kitchen. 

He decides to prepare a simple meal for the two of them of spaghetti, garlic bread, and salad. He sets to work, pulling out the ingredients and preheating the oven for the bread.   
Alec is so engrossed in his work that at first, he doesn’t notice the slight change in temperature in the room. But after a few minutes, he starts to shiver. He pauses for a moment, staring at the oven that should be warming the room up. 

Just as Alec is about to go check the thermostat, there is a faint brush of what feels like fingers against the back of his neck. Alec shouts and flails his arm so wildly that he scatters the contents of the now-empty box of noodles all over the stove and floor. He scans the room, and no one is there. He stares at the mess for a moment. 

“This is just my imagination, there is not ghost in this apartment. Magnus’ wards would not allow it. I just drank too much coffee, that is all.” Alec says this out loud, and realizes he is not sure if he is talking to himself or to someone else who may be listening. 

“I don’t have time for this!” Alec snaps. He whirls around to go get the broom to sweep up the fallen spaghetti and screams again. 

All the chairs are now stacked on top of the table. 

“This isn’t funny!” Alec shouts. 

He turns back to the stove and decides to turn everything off, not trusting himself. He walks over to Magnus’ drink cart and pours himself a whiskey. He forces himself to go sit on the couch, taking deep soothing breathes, and downs the glass of whiskey. 

“Raziel, that’s terrible!” Alec coughs a little. “Pull yourself together- man that is REALLY terrible!” Alec splutters some more. “This is all in your head, just cut back on all the coffee.”

He reclines on the couch and closes his eyes. Although his mind is racing and his adrenaline is pulsing through his body, he is so so tired. After a few minutes, he feels his body being pulled into the first moments of unconsciousness, his mind trying to protect itself from the stress of the day. But just when he is about to let go and cross over into dreamland, he feels a presence next to him. 

Alec is so close to sleep that his limbs feel weighted down with lead, and it is hard to force himself to move. He feels sluggish and groggy, but he opens his eyes partway, the beginning of a smile on his face at the thought of Magnus cuddling up next to him on the couch. 

Alec lets out an ear-splitting scream of terror that could most definitely be heard back at the Institute. 

Standing next to him on the couch is the Headless Horseman, holding his pumpkin head in one arm and aiming his gun at Alec with the other.   
“MAGNUS!!!!!” 

Alec leaps off the couch in full Shadowhunter mode, making a calculated break for his bow and arrow at the front door. In a flash, Alec snatches his bow, notches an arrow, and lets it fly right into the Horseman’s chest. 

“Alexander?” a confused voice asks hesitantly from behind him. “What in Edom are you doing, darling?” 

From his kneeling position on the floor, Alec slowly lowers his bow. Between one blink and the next, the Headless Horseman is back in his corner of the living room, completely inanimate again.

There are a few moments of silence. 

“Magnus…” Alec says slowly as realization begins to dawn on him, one knee still on the ground. 

“Yes, darling?” Magnus answer sweetly, a smile in his voice. 

“Have you been haunting me?” 

“Yes I have.” 

“…why…?” 

“Because I can.” Magnus walks around Alec so they are facing each other. Alec cannot help but gape up at him from the floor. 

“Spells on timers, really quite wonderful things--” 

Alec sweeps Magnus’ legs out from under him, and even before he falls on top of Alec, he is already laughing. 

Alec rolls and pins Magnus on his back, holding his arms above his head, straddling him. Magnus' entire body is shaking with laughter, tears streaking down his face. 

“You are SO going to get it.” Alec smiles down at him darkly. 

Magnus just grins that wicked smile and says, 

“Happy Halloween, Alexander.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really rushed this ending in order to submit it on time, but I hope you enjoyed it! :)


End file.
